It's All in the Introduction
by Oreoishida
Summary: Soulmate AU - Soulmates are a common topic of conversation and everyone knows that the words written for them, are the first words they ever hear the other say. When the words vanish, you've finally found who you are looking for. Lance wants to find his soulmate and he has a plan to make it happen.


It was a known fact that soulmates carried with them the first words that they ever heard each other say. These words were written somewhere on your body, though most commonly on your wrist or arm. They could just be a simple greeting, or they could be a planned introduction, it just depended on your soulmate. You were taught this as a kid growing up and you learned to love the words before the person. Once you heard the words connected to the right person, the words would slowly vanish and fade, because really, after you found that someone just for you, you don't need those words anymore to know you had found your other half.

XXX

Keith sighed as he heard everyone at the Garrison talking about soulmates again. It wasn't that he didn't believe that it was possible, in fact, he wanted it more than anything, but thinking about the words along his wrist caused a frown to cross his face. The constant whispered conversation didn't help either. Keith sighed again as instruction continued for how best to handle some situation or another regarding space travel, while the kids in the back of the class continued to chat aimlessly about soulmates. Keith took his right wrist in hand and waited for the class to be over.

Lance wasn't the only one in class that talked about soulmates all the time, most of his classmates did too. It was the most common to find your soulmate at this age and everyone appeared to be excited about the aspect of finding the other half of their soul. Lance would flirt and joke with the best of them, but he never talked about the words that were on his wrist. Lance always had his words covered even though he often talked to everyone who would listen about how great it would be to one day find the one that was meant for him. Lance joined his friends after the conversation with his other classmates had ended.

"Lance, at some point, you'll have to leave it uncovered so you can tell when the words go away."

"Hunk, my man, my best bro, live a little and don't worry about it!"

Hunk sighed as he watched Lance. If you didn't know him as well as he did, you would assume he was fine. Hunk knew though that the short, common expression on Lance's wrist caused him all sorts of anxiety and stress as it made if difficult to determine who Lance should focus his attention on when searching.

"Hunk, it's fine okay, I know they will be hard to find, and I won't have the advantage that others have, but I've gotten used to it okay? They are out there, and I know that I can find them and that when I do, I'll _know _it's them."

Hunk continued walking to class without saying anything further. At this point there was no way to get through to Lance with advice or words of encouragement that he hadn't already heard.

"Plus, I have an idea."

Hunk stopped walking and saw the look on Lance's face, "oh man, I'm not sure I like where this is going."

"Where what is going?"

"Pidge! Just the person I wanted in on my plan!"

"Okay, now I see the problem," Pidge crossed her arms and looked Hunk.

Hunk shrugged, "I have no idea what it is yet so I can't help you be any more prepared than we both are right now."

Lance gave them his winning smile, "I'm just going to go up to each person and start talking until my mark vanishes, that way I don't have to worry about this anymore!" Lance threw two finger guns in his two best friends' direction. They both rolled their eyes and sighed deeply at him.

"You know that isn't going to work Lance."

Lance continued waving his finger guns around until he they reached their classroom. "Just you guys wait and see, this'll work!"

XXX

Many weeks later Hunk and Pidge watched as Lance once again walked up to someone and began what they now called his 'word vomit surprise.' They both shook their heads as in one long breath Lance continued a rant that became longer each time, he spoke to someone.

"Does he even realize that if he _does _find his soulmate this way this will be rough…I mean I'd be irritated regardless of my connection to you," Pidge rolled her eyes again as Lance watched his words on his wrist remain.

"He wants so much to find them…he just isn't sure he can do it with what's on his wrist, it's just too general."

"Hunk, I get that, I still don't even know what his words are because he won't show me or tell me, but there has to be a better way."

"We've tried getting him to try other methods, but he thinks this is the best solution to his problem."

Lance walked back over to his friends and sighed heavily as he came up along side them.

"No luck then?" Hunk asked hopeful.

"Nah, wasn't meant to be, I'll find them eventually!" Lance's eyes sparkled with determination because even though he hadn't been able to find anyone yet, he still loved the concept of soulmates. He still loved the other half of his soul wherever they may be.

XXX

Takashi Shirogane was a guest speaker in class today and the whole room was in a buzz with having such a great pilot there to talk with them. Lance especially was excited to see one of his heroes as they talked about the missions they had been on and what these all looked like for him. Shiro finished with his speech and spoke with everyone who wanted to ask him questions afterwards. Hunk, Pidge and Lance joined the group of people waiting with mildly contained excitement.

Shiro expressed a "hello" to the trio before he was interrupted by another student stepping directly into their path, "hey Keith did you need something?"

Lance saw that mullet that he would recognize anywhere. This was Keith Kogane and he was in most of their classes as well. Typically, he sat away from his peers and was always focused on what the teachers were saying. He was the best the Garrison had in the piolet fighter class, even though he wasn't fully a part of the class yet and Lance wanted more than anything to beat his scores.

"I just wanted to know if you are headed home after this," Keith looked at the trio but didn't acknowledge them with more than a nod of his head that may have suggested he apologized for stepping in their way if you looked close enough.

Shiro smiled slightly and looked towards the trio in front of him before expressing, "nice to meet you three, this here is Keith. He and I are roommates, but he is relatively new to the area and it would be great if you wanted to show him around sometime."

Keith glared at Shiro before softening his expression and looking at the others. Pidge and Hunk both nodded their heads in greeting and said a quick hello. Pidge and Hunk let their gaze wander towards Lance, as though anticipating some sort of response from him in this moment. They did know what was most likely coming next.

Lance, in his defense, he hadn't _planned _on his usual greeting, it was habit by now. Lance looked between Keith and Shiro before taking a deep breath and started talking.

"I can't believe that you get to live with Shiro, that's just the best and it explains why you are doing so well and will be in the fighter class, if you haven't been in the area much we can show you around, my friends and I are always out and about looking for adventure all the time and we would love to have you come along!" Lance took a deep breath after his monologue and his eyes looked back and forth between Shiro and Keith again as the silence became awkward.

Shiro's eyes shifted to look at Keith, a look on his face Lance couldn't quite identify at first. Lance tilted his head while he thought about it and realized that he thought the face looked, almost, playful.

Keith continued to stare at Lance, not breaking his eye contact on Lance as he stared Lance down. Keith appeared to be taking a breath to say something in returned and Lance suddenly began shifting his weight from his left leg to his right.

Keith simply stated "Hey," in a slightly exasperated tone, his intense stare remaining on Lance.

Hunk looked between the two of them, a knowing look on his face as he shifted his gaze to Lance's wrist. Hunk went to grab Lance's wrist just in case when he noticed Keith begin to move as well. Keith uncovered his arm, and everyone noticed that it was covered in words, spiraling around from his wrist up to his shoulder. The words were already vanishing as everyone noticed and began to chuckle starting with Shiro.

"He always wondered who on Earth would give an introduction in such a detailed manner," Shiro continued to laugh while Keith stared at the words slowly disappearing.

"Lance! Pay attention!" Hunk grabbed Lance's wrist and moved his sleeve so he could see the simple 'Hey' as it began to vanish.

Lance glanced briefly at this wrist and returned his gaze to Keith's intense stare.

Lance slowly began to smile "hey, I'm Lance."

"Hey, was my line."

Shiro laughed harder as Hunk and Pidge began to chuckle as well.

"I'm Keith."

"So, I've heard." Lance's smile grew larger.

Keith sighed heavily but didn't respond verbally.

"Mullet, you are going to have to learn to speak up or else!"

"Yeah, or else you won't get to say anything," Pidge smirked as Hunk attempted to contain his laughter.

"Guys, you are not helping!"

The laughter continued, tears were shed, and the group enjoyed the moment of soulmates finding one another.

"Hope you can handle this one, he needs lots of attention."

"PIDGE! Stop saying that ready!"

"You will need to make sure you talk to him daily, most likely hourly or he may become determined to find you and make a scene."

"Hunk…not you too…please stop."

Keith nodded in response, his eyes sparkling with joy and happiness. After all he had finely found his soulmate, and even though he may not be as vocal about the situation, he was just as excited.

"You don't have to worry," Shiro grabbed Keith's right shoulder and Lance's left shoulder before continuing, "soulmates are just another friend that the universe decided we should have and sometimes we have to learn a little bit about each other first. I'm sure that even with the brief time you have spoken you both have a little idea about who each other is. Afterall, it's all in the introduction."

Lance blushed a deep red and Keith's lips pulled slightly up as his eyes shimmered. The others laughed until they were holding their sides and taking large gulps of air.

**The End**


End file.
